Pneumatic magnetic drill support



March 10, 1959 E. w. BUCK PNEUMATIC MAGNETIC DRILL SUPPORT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Maruh 9, 1956 I1 llllll lilb l m HHQEHJJPJHQQFJH: T 1 n R h M... M 8 9 I 4 o L 4 q m m.

INVENTOR. EUGENE W BUCK A 7' TO/PNEY March 10, 1959 E. w. BUCK 2,876,663

PNEUMATIC MAGNETIC DRILL SUPPORT Fiied March 9, 1956 Y s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EUGENE W BUCK A 7' TOPNE Y March 10, 1959 E. w. BUCK 2,876,663

PNEUMATIC MAGNETIC DRILL SUPPORT Filed March 9, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

f/GLG f/G 5 H 24 22 M INVENTOR. W F///A EUGENE w BUCK A 7' TOPNE) United States Patent PNEUMATIC MAGNETIC DRILL SUPPORT Eugene W. Buck, Campbell, Calif.

Application March 9, 1956, Serial No. 570,587

8 Claims. (Cl. 77-6) The present invention relates to drill supports, and is concerned more particularly with the provisions of a magnetic drill support which can be powered entirely from a source of fluid under pressure, such as pneumatic pressure.

In many types of construction work, for example, work on ships, frequently air under pressure is the only source of power which is readily available, or which can be made readily available at a desired place of work on the ship. This is particularly true for repair equipment on a ship which travels from port to port where electric sources of power vary very widely as to voltage and frequency. However, by using air pressure as a source of power this is available at any port, and can be made readily available at the place of work by the location of a conventional motor compressor unit.

Accordingly it is the general object of the present invention to provide a magnetic support unit which is powered entirely by pneumatic means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic support unit of the above character in which the drill can be rapidly advanced or withdrawn from the work manually, while an air powered feed of the drill can be used in actual heavy drilling operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic magnetic drill support unit having a desirable automatic enabling of the power feed for the drill at the time that the motor for operating the feed is supplied with air.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a pneumatic magnetic drill support unit embodying the instant invention, certain parts being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken in planes indicated by line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating a different operating condition of the parts.

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 55 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a schematic piping diagram of the air system.

Referring to Figure l, the pneumatic magnetic drill support unit comprises generally a base 10, an upright housing structure 11 secured on the base 10, an adjustable support foot 12 depending from an extension 13 of the housing structure, a slide 14 having means to secure an air powered drill unit 16 thereon. These components are in general similar to the parts shown in my prior Patent No. 2,672,770 to which reference is made for details not described herein.

The magnetic base comprises an electro-magnet of conventional construction including an electro-magnetic coil 21 by means of which the base can be magnetized and caused to adhere to magnetic surfaces to hold the Patented Mar. 10, 1959 drill support unit in place. The housing structure 11 comprises an upright tubular casting having a base flange 22 secured by bolts 23 to the base 21, with suitable air passages 24 formed therein and leading to the interior of the housing structure.

Within the housing structure 11 a motor generator set is mounted including a conventional direct current generator 26 having its drive shaft coupled to the drive shaft of the conventional air motor 27 by suitable coupling, both generator 26 and the air motor 27 being secured to a connecting casting 28 (Figures 1 and 3) interposed therebetween. To secure the motor generator unit in place, the upper flange 29 of the connecting casting 28 has its upper face in fiat abutting relation with a machined surface 31, of each of three longitudinal ribs 32 of the housing structure 11. The lower tapered surfaces 33 of the connecting casting is engaged by a plu- .rality of set screws 34 threaded in the housing structure 11 and by means of which the motor generator unit is secured in place. The air motor 27 is suitably connected to an air supply manifold 41 (Figure 2), having a pipe 42 leading to the source of air under pressure.

At its upper end the housing structure 11 has cast integrally therewith a vertically extending guide structure 46 (Figures 1 and 2) providing a vertical track to receive the slide 14. Suitable fastening connections 47 and 48 serve to secure the air drill on the slide 14. The housing structure 11 is provided with an upper handle 49 for carrying the unit in a substantially vertical position and a lower handle 51 for supporting unit in substantially horizontal position, the lower handle 51 having secured thereon a pair of pivoted links 52 for connection to a chain by means of which the drill support unit can be suitably mounted in position.

In order to provide a power feed for the drill 16 when this is desirable to relieve the operator of heavy work causing fatigue and still enable rapid approach to and withdrawal from the work, a manual feed is provided in combination with an air motor feed for controlling the up and down movement of the drill 16 when the drill support unit is in upright vertical position as illustrated.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the slide 14 for supporting the drill 16 is provided centrally thereof with a vertical gear rack 61 which meshes with a pinion 62 secured to a sleeve shaft 63 by a key 64. The sleeve shaft 63 is journaled by a sleeve bearing 66 adjacent one end thereof,

said end having a thrust collar 67 threaded and secured thereto. Adjacent its other end the sleeve shaft 63 is press fitted into and supported by an annular clutch member or casting 68 which is journaled in a sleeve bearing 69 supported in the housing structure 11. The sleeve bearing also of course provides journaling for the adjacent end of the sleeve shaft 63. The annular clutch member 68, the sleeve shaft 63 and the pinion 62 are secured together as a unit to effect the drive of the rack 61, and for manual operation of this assembly the annular clutch member 68 has a plurality of operating handles 71 secured thereabout.

To provide for power driven feeding of the slide 14,

the annular clutch member 68 also forms the driven condition of the parts is illustrated in Figure 4. The cup 1 member 73 is secured on the end of a shaft 81 suitably journaled within the sleeve shaft 63, and carrying at its other end a worm gear 82. This Worm gear 82 meshes with a worm 83 (Figure 1) on a cross shaft 84 suitably journaled in the housing structure 11. The shaft 84 also carries a worm gear 86, which meshes with a worm 37 (Figures 1 and 2) secured on a shaft 88 suitably journaled in the housing structure 11. The shaft 88 (Figure 2) also carries a worm gear 91 which meshes with and is driven by a worm 92 on a shaft 93 of an air motor 94. The air motor 94- is suitably connected to the source of air pressure provided by the manifold 41.

From the above description it will be seen that the air feed motor 94, the various sets of worms and Worm gears, the shaft 81, the cup 73, and the spring 74 provide a power drive for the driven elements of the clutch. including the annular clutch member 68, the sleeve shaft 63 and the pinion 62 for driving the rack 61 under control of the cone 77.

To control operation of the cone 77 a clutch cup 96 (Figure 2) of rubber or other suitable resilient material is mounted adjacent the cone 77 within an annular air chamber 97, this clutch cup 96 serving to seal the air chamber by virtue of its flanges and acting as a piston under air pressure to move the cone 77 axially against the pressure of the spring 78. 97 through a passage 93 leading to an annular passage 99 in the annular clutch member 68 and which abuts wall 101 of the housing structure 11. Two rubber sealing rings 1tl2 having grooves in each side thereof are seated in suitable annular grooves in the clutch member 68 at either side of the annular groove 99 thereof. Communieating with annular groove 99 in rotative position thereof is a passage 103 leading to a pipe connection 104 which is connected to the source of pressure in a manner about to be described.

Referring to Figure 6, the schematic piping diagram shows incoming air under pressure leading to the manifold 41. From the manifold 41 a direct supply line 105 leads to the drill 16 which drill is provided with its own valve control for the air supply. Also from the manifold 41 a pipe connection or supply line 106 leads through valve 107 to the air motor 27 for the generator unit. In this Way at any time desired and independent of any other member of the equipment the magnetic flux from the coil 21 can be placed in operation to hold the drill support unit in place. From the manifold 41 a third pipe connection 108 is provided leading to an on-and-olf valve 109 from which a pipe 111 extends having one branch 104 leading to the clutch control cup 96 and another branch leading to an adjustable valve 112 and thence to the air motor 94, the valve 112 serving to control the speed of the air feed motor 94. Air discharge pipe 113 from the motor 94 (Figures 1 and 4) discharges inside-the housing structure 11 so that the air discharged from the air motors 94 and 27, both of which flow past the generator 26 and over a face of the magnetic base unit and through the passages 24, serves to cool these constituents of the unit.

In operation, the unit is placed with its base 10 on the work piece of magnetic material with the manifold 41 connected to air pressure which is immediately avail able to the air motors 27 and 16. The air motor 16 is placed in operation by its valve means including the trigger 117 so that the drill bit 118 is rotated. The air motor 27 drives the generator 26 and with a switch 116 in on position the coil 21 is energized, firmly attaching the drill support unit to the metal.

The drill 16 is then advanced toward the work rapidly by use of one of the handles 71, and when it approaches the work the valve 109 is placed in its on position so that air under pressure becomes available to the cup member or piston 96 to move the parts from the position shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 2. At substantially the same time the air motor 94 receives air to Air is fed to the chamber i operate through the parts to advance the drill into the work.

It will be noted from the above description that the invention provides for operation of a portable magnetic unit, such as a drill support, from a single air supply line such as the pipe 42 so that this single air supply line or conduit leading to the source of air under pressure such as a compressor unit is the only connection that need be run from the support unit to enable its being secured in place and to enable functioning of its various parts.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention it is apparent that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that the scope thereof should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A pneumatically operated portable magnetic support unit for a drill comprising a work engaging base having electro magnetic coil therein, a hollow housing structure attached to the base, a source of air under pressure, a motor generator unit supported in said housing structure and connected to said source, said generator providing a D. C. output and being connected to said coil, a drill supporting slide mounted on said housing structure, a hollow drive unit connected to said slide for imparting movement thereto, a handle connected to said hollow drive unit for effecting manual operation thereof, a drive shaft extending through said hollow drive unit, an air motor connected to drive said shaft, and a clutch for selectively engaging said drive shaft and said drive unit.

2. A pneumatically operated magnetic support unit for a drill as recited in claim 1 in which said clutch includes a torsion spring having at least certain of its convolutions disposed within said hollow drive unit for selective engagement therewith.

3. A pneumatically operated magnetic support unit for a drill as recited in claim 2 including an annular control member engagable with said certain convolutions of said spring for effecting engagement thereof within said hollow drive unit, and a pneumatically controlled piston for operating said control member.

4. A pneumatically operated magnetic support unit for a drill as recited in claim 3 in which said pneumatically controlled piston is cup shaped in cross section and is formed of resilient material.

5. A pneumatically operated portable magnetic sup port unit for a rotary drill, comprising a work-engaging base having an electro-magnetic coil therein, a housing structure attached to the base, a motor generator unit supported in said housing for supplying D. C. current and said generator being connected to said electro-magnetie coil, a source of air under pressure, means connecting said source to said motor, a slide mounted on said housing structure, an actuating means for said slide, means including an air motor connected to said actuating means and also including a c1utch,'and means for controlling said clutch comprising a pressure-operated element and means for operating said element as an incident to supplying the air from said source to said second named air motor.

6. A pneumatically operated magnetic support unit for a drill as was cited in claim 5 in which said actuating means includes a manually operable member, and said clutch comprising a spring interposed between driving and driven elements of said actuating means.

7. A pneumatically operated portable magnetic support unit for a rotary drill comprising a work engaging base having an electro-magnetic coil therein, a housing structure attached to the base, a source of air under pressure, a motor generator unit supported by said housing structure and connected to said source, said generator providing a D. C. output and being connected to said coil, a drill supporting slide mounted on said housing structure, a drive unit connected to said slide for 2,876,663 5 parting movement thereto, means connected to said drive References Cited in the file of this patent unit for effecting manual operation thereof, a drive shaft, UNITED STATES PATENTS an air motor connected to drive said shaft, and a clutch for selectively engaging said drive shaft and said drive 935129 1 Boffnig SePt- 1909 unit including a torsion spring having at least certain of 5 1,838,459 Smlth 1931 its convolutions connected between said drive unit and 2'444'415 Beeson July 6, 1948 said drive shaft.

8. A pneumatically operated magnetic support unit for FOREIGN PATENTS a drill as recited in claim 7 having pneumatic control 869,945 France May 8, 1944 means for said torsion spring to establish or disestablish 10 the drive between said drive unit and said drive shaft. 

